A GREAT USE FOR PAPER & CARDSTOCK THAT'S TAKING UP SPACE

I needed to replenish my stack of scrap paper the other day, and it occurred to me that I may have never shared this wonderful tip on my blog.  

A few years ago as I was trying to downsize my hoarded overstock of designer paper, I was at that point in the process where I was tossing it into trash bags.  🤯 I know, I know . . . that's an outright blasphemous act.  Believe me, it was making me SICK to see all of that pretty paper getting ready for its journey to a landfill.  You've probably been in that same predicament where the voice of Greater Good is saying "atta girl . . . keep tossin'!" and yet your brain is thinking "What a waste! How can I put you to use?!?".  And that's when it came to me . . . I could cut the paper into 4x6 pieces to use for notes, scribbles, scrap, etc.  For a couple of days, I was a paper-cuttin' machine and felt great for having saved all of that paper for a new purpose.  Then I had a lot of paper that needed somewhere to stay, but it seemed to take a lot less space now.  I bundled a lot of it and shared with family members, but I still have some bundles scattered here and there in my stamp room.  For example, on top of my Ikea unit, I have this small supply:

For my daily use, I am still using the card holder that was part of this tutorial ensemble that I designed in 2015.  It fits perfectly on the cart that stays by my desk, and I use the pretty scrap paper ALL the time!  

When I break down kits/supplies, I put some of the paper components in my scrap stash.  If I'm cutting paper and end up with cuts that I don't think I'll use for crafting, I add them to the stash.  The only papers that I didn't save from the trash bag (or don't add to my stash today) were the ones that are too dark or too textured to write on.  

There have been times when I reached for one of my scraps and decided to use it as a layer on a card so . . . yes . . . that happens.  If you are getting lost among more paper or cardstock than you think you could ever use, thin it out by cutting and giving it a new purpose!  It's a new way to love your paper!

A LITTLE SASQUATCH-WEARING-A-MASK HUMOR

Photo by Brian Dyer

This picture was posted in a local Facebook group today, and it sparked a funny memory.  Obviously, it's a Sasquatch-look-a-like (silhouette) on a normal day, but he's sporting a mask--being considerate to not spread the virus should he have it.  I'm told that he gets dressed for occasions/holidays through the year, which must be entertaining for those who travel past him on a regular basis.

Seeing Sasquatch today reminded me of a time when our Border Collie, Ramsour, was younger.  Being a couple of years younger really has no bearing on this tale . . . Ram would still react the same today.  Anyway, we had stopped for gas across the road from this silhouette, although I had not yet noticed it.  Ramsour was looking out the window and started huffing, growling, and was obviously not happy about something.  When I turned around and saw what had Ram on high alert, I burst out laughing.  To him, it did look very much like an unsavory character exiting the woods, and he did NOT like it!

How about you?  Do you enjoy seeing wooden silhouettes like this?

WATERFALL FATHER'S DAY CARD

Today I'm sharing the Father's Day card that I made for my daddy this year.  I won't say that I always think about making a Waterfall card when I see a stamp set with several small images, but . . . it happens a lot.  Since daddy is a sharp-dressed man, I tend to hold onto stamp sets such as Truly Tailored and Well Dressed, which are the stamp sets featured on this card.  Of course, I had to decorate the envelope, too.  Since Waterfall cards have been around for a long time, I won't bore you with details . . . just photos.

I thought it was a good idea to use the "Lookin' sharp" stamp to decorate the back of each "falling" panel, as well as the background of the card front.

My cardstock colors are Soft Sea Foam, Whisper White, and Basic Black.

As you probably know, you don't have to have a traditional card base with a Waterfall card.  Instead, the moving mechanism can be adhered to a single piece of cardstock (that doesn't open like a regular card), and your message/signature can go on the last panel (the widest) of the waterfall.  I thought about doing that with this card, but I ended up using a traditional card base and put my written message and signature on the inside.

"WHISKEY BUSINESS"

Whiskey Business is one of the brand new stamp sets in Stampin' Up!'s catalog, and it was one of the first products that I added to my wish list.  When deciding what kind of card to make for my husband for Father's Day, it didn't take long before I reached for Whiskey Business.  I stamped the images onto watercolor paper and colored them with ink and a water brush.  The sentiment layer was a label that had already been cut with one of the Stitched So Sweetly dies, and I gave it a little texture by stamping the wood-looking image repeatedly--up, down, and across--with Early Espresso ink.  The sentiment was stamped with VersaMark ink, and then heat-embossed with Black embossing powder.

I thought the ice cubes needed a little something, so my finishing touch was brushing them with the Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush.

Masculine cards always seem to be the most tricky, but this one was a breeze!  In a couple of days, I'll post photos of the waterfall card that I made for my daddy.  ;-)

"BY THE DOCK" FATHER'S DAY CARD + ENVELOPE

One of the Father's Day cards that I made this week featured Stampin' Up!'s By the Dock stamp set and coordinating Dockside dies.  As shallow as it may sound, there was one single thing about this bundle that kept drawing me in. While there's so much to love about the stamp set and dies, it was that darn leaping frog that continuously prevented me from just turning the page.  Is he not the cutest?!?!  Has he captivated you, too?  I don't even like real life frogs!  I find NOTHING cute about them, and I especially dislike that some of them are hesitant to hop away (before or after) I start swishing a broom their way.  I don't know if they sleep when they appear to be awake or if they know that there's no way I'll get close enough to touch them.  What I know is that I put off buying this bundle until it could no longer be purchased as a bundle, and that one leaping frog made me do it.  I have zero regrets.  

After addressing the envelope, I thought it needed a little decorating.  This is probably the most simple stamping that I've ever done on an envelope and yet I find it very pleasing.  Sometimes less is more.  It's rare for me to watercolor an image on an envelope, but this one turned out very well--probably because it was such a small area to color.  My card layout was inspired by one that Cindy Brumbaugh had shared on Pinterest, and I loved it.  One of the nice things about buying a product that isn't brand new is being able to find plenty of inspiring project samples.

Cardstock colors featured on this card include Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Pear Pizzazz, Mossy Meadow, and Balmy Blue.  I'll bet you've already noticed that pretty embossed background, huh?  The brand new Seabed embossing folder is to thank for that, and it is so pretty!  Other Stampin' Up! products featured on my card include the Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush (on the "water") and the oh, so pretty die-cut scalloped rectangle from Stitched So Sweetly dies.

Surely, I have a happy father's day stamp somewhere but, honestly, I didn't look too hard for one.  Instead, I wrote out my own.  It's far from perfect, but it didn't disappoint.

If something really small has ever prompted you to purchase a stamp set or dies, do tell!

CUBE BIRTHDAY CARD (POP-UP) FOR MY MOTHER

Today is my mother's birthday, and that calls for a special card, right?  Normally when I try something new, I end up with a few fails but not this time.  I will definitely make more of these pop-up cube cards because they are quite relaxing to make and offer lots of area to let designer paper steal the show.

Isn't this a FUN card???  It appears that I have accidentally thrown away the scrap paper where I wrote my measurements.  I'm terrible about picking up what already appears to be trash and hurriedly jotting down important information, so it's no wonder that I can never readily find "that" piece of paper.  If you want to try making this card, try this . . . for the tallest cube, score a piece of 5-1/2" x 10-1/2" cardstock at 2.5", 5", 7.5", and 10".  If you're using 8.5" x 11" cardstock, you can just keep the 11" width--your flap that holds the cube shape will be wider than necessary, but it won't affect the project one way or another.  I recommend covering all of the interior panels with designer paper BEFORE adhering the cube into shape.  BUT . . . DON'T adhere the paper to the panel that has the 1/2" flap until after you have adhered the cube into shape.  That list strip of paper will cover the flap.  For the two smaller cubes, I scored my 2.5" x 10.5" cardstock the same measurements--2.5", 5", 7.5", and 10",  Fold them into shape, and adhere them to the tall cube, which folds flat and makes this an easy process.  When you are placing designer paper on the cubes, DON'T place it on the two back panels that are behind the sentiment (where I have the "celebrate" label).  You need to adhere the mechanism that allows the sentiment to float between the cubes before covering the back panel of the short cubes with paper.  I didn't take a photo of this part of the construction but, hopefully, the following photos will adequately show you what to do. 

Take two strips that are approximately 1/2" x 2".

Fold the two strips in half.  Keeping the folded edge at the corner, adhere the strips in place.  Obviously, your "corner" will be where your two short cubes meet and not on one cube as shown in the photo below.  After adhering the mechanism strips, carefully adhere your sentiment layer.  This gets tricky because your fingers seem to be in the way.  I recommend using liquid glue so you'll have some time to move the sentiment to make sure it is straight.

Another view of the finished card:

For mailing, this card very neatly folds flat. 

When removed from the envelope, it's easy for the recipient to see how it should stand.  And your sentiment layer just floats nicely between the two short cubes like it should!  The following photo was taken by my mother with the card displayed on her dining table:

Happy, Happy Birthday, Mother!!!

"FOREVER GREENERY" . . . FREE PROJECT TUTORIAL!!!

I have really enjoyed creating with some of Stampin' Up!'s Forever Greenery suite of products and decided to put together a project tutorial that features six (6) greeting cards and a portfolio to hold them!  Not only will the portfolio hold all of the cards, it also cleverly holds the envelopes, too.  But you shouldn't just make one portfolio of cards . . . definitely make at least one more set to share with someone special!

What is included in my pdf tutorial?

• Step-by-step written instructions that are easy to follow for making the six cards and portfolio
• 6 cards that feature creative use of the products
• Full project photos for reference
• 3 of the cards feature a unique/fun fold
• List of all products featured on the projects (including order # and price)
• List of measurements needed for cardstock (by color), designer paper, and ribbon

Have you seen the Forever Greenery product suite?  Just look at all of the fun product choices:

HOW CAN YOU GET MY FREE TUTORIAL EMAILED TO YOU?  

• Place a minimum $75 order (before shipping and tax) at my web site, AND
• Be sure to enter my current Hostess Code, which can always be found in top left sidebar on my blog.

THIS CARD SET . . . THE BEST WAY TO PUT DSP TO WORK

My sister has been asking for a couple of weeks for a set of thinking of you cards.  I was honored that she came to me with this request and especially wanted to oblige, but I couldn't think of what I wanted to make.  If I'm real honest, I kind of dreaded thinking about all the stamp sets and products to use, color combos, card layouts/designs, etc.  Imagining the time it was going to take to get so many products out (and then put them back) wasn't pleasant to consider.  That's a funny statement coming from a messy stamper who rarely has a clean stamp room.  Ha!  Yes, I could have come up with one design and made multiples, but I put the pressure on myself by thinking that a really useful set of cards for my sister wouldn't be a true (matching) set, particularly because she will probably mail cards to some of the same people over time.  After delaying the task (because that's what I do when I dread something), I had an "ah ha" moment the other night when I opened the drawer where I store my designer paper.  I kind of grunted upon realizing that I still needed to pull out all of the recently retired DSP.  That's when the idea smacked me across the forehead . . . cut some of the papers from each collection into strips and make quilt cards!  I could have cut all the strips at one time and pulled from a mixed pile to make the quilt layers but, in this case, I worked with one collection of DSP at a time to create at least two cards using the strips that were between 1/2" and 3/4" wide.  I think these cards are gorgeous, and it's a better use of the retired papers than taking up space on a shelf across the room where they may never be called to work.  On with the cards now, right?

First up . . . Garden Lane DSP.  These may have been my favorite cards from the bunch.  Ironically, this was not my favorite DSP collection.

MAGNOLIA LANE DSP

MOSAIC MOOD DSP

DINOROAR DSP

SEE A SILHOUETTE DSP

COME SAIL AWAY DSP

PERENNIAL ESSENCE DSP

And because all of these cards plus the envelopes needed a box, I made it look like a fun gift to receive:

As I said, I just cut selected papers into strips and adhered them (however I pleased) on 4" x 5-1/4" pieces of cardstock.  When the cardstock was covered, I used assorted embossing folders to give them a gorgeous texture.  The embossed layers were adhered to a slightly larger piece of cardstock and then adhered to a coordinating card base.

I made all of these cards while watching "No One Saw a Thing" and, honestly, it was such a relaxing and creatively fun time!  To me, this is the best way to put DSP to work . . . whether or not it's retired paper!

What do you think?  Would this set of cards make your day?